The legend of raziner rassmeen: rise of the black
by Raze Z10
Summary: Raziner is depressed and struggling to manage himself and his relashenship with his family. But when he begins to loose his mind and the prophets send a counciler to kill him, how will raziner protect himself and his last bit of family left?
1. Chapter 1

The legend of raziner rassmeen: rise of the black elite

It is a cool night on the planet sangheillios and everyone in the area is fast asleep. Everyone, except for one elite in particular. That elite was named raziner rassmeen. Raziner had always had trouble sleeping. The tragedies of war and all the violence he had to endure made sure of that. But tonight was different. Instead of dreaming of war on the battle field, he dreamed of war in his family. He dreamed of war that would eventually break him, something nothing else could have done. He dreamed of his final battle with his brother navado. Every smell, every sound, every movement and action seemed too real for raziners comfort. He had noticed this as of late. Ever since that fateful day when he was forced to leave his brother behind, raziner had that same dream that night as he rested, and every night since. Once the dreamed stopped, raziner shot up to a sitting position in his bed as if he had been trying to wake up the entire horrible event. He was breathing heavily and his entire body was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat. Raziner then shouted out of frustration and anger, and fear.

" Ahhh! By the gods, why must these dreams torment me!"

Raziner stopped and he heard the door to his room slide open and he heard a soft, comforting, familiar voice

" Raziner, are you alright?"

It was raziners wife, hanica. She had been concerned for raziner since his brother died. So, she decided to keep a close eye on him. Raziner looked over at her and responded to her question.

" Yes, I am fine. What are you doing here?" raziner said in a weak voice.

" Your screams awoke me. Was it the wars?" Hanica asked as she moved in closer to raziner.

" Yes." Raziner said as he looked away from her.

" Which one was it?" Hanica asked as she moved in even closer to raziner.

Raziner just sat there, completely silent. He waited for her to respond. He knew hanica. And he knew the females of his species. They were stubborn and relentless when or rather if they want or need to know something. Hanica had similar thoughts running through her mind. She knew her husband and she knew the males of her species, they weren't that hard to read. She knew exactly what was troubling raziner.

" Your silence says it all. Raziner, you must move on, he would want you too." Hanica said as she moved close enough to raziner so that she could look him in the eyes as she said it. Raziner looked over at her with a look of complete and utter sadness.

" It wasn't supposed to be this way. I feel so alone out of place."

Hanica took pity on him placed a hand on his shoulder. She then spoke to him in a comforting tone.

" Your not alone." She hugged him and he hugged back. He began to cry.

Once this was over with, hanica left and raziner went back to sleep. Once more, raziner had a dream that deeply disturbed him. It was of navado, but it was not his final battle with him. No, this time, navados burned and mangled body was on a cold medal table that was fixed in a vertical position. He saw covenant scientists shocking the body. Eventually, they achieved a reaction. The bodies eyes shot open and it roared in pain. Once it roared, raziners eyes shot open and he whispered to himself.

" Im coming brother."

Raziner shot out of bed and walked over to the stand that held navados blackened armor. He put on the helmet first. As he put it on, he heard something strange. A voice that very silently muttered raziners name. Raziner ignored it as he believed that he had a task to complete. He finished putting on the armor and he grabbed the energy sword that had been damaged in his fight with navado. He was on his way out the door when he heard hanicas voice say something. He turned around to see his love standing there with a slight look of shock in her eye. She repeated what she said as she believed that raziner did not hear her.

" Raziner, what are you doing?"

Raziner looked at her as if he knew that there was nothing strange or wrong with what he was doing.

" The prophets have navado, he needs my help."

Hanica looked at raziner with a look of worry and continued,

" They don't have navado raziner. He lies in the rassmeen graveyard. His legacy is in the rassmeen saga, he is gone."

Raziner looked at her with a look of anger and then stated his argument in a semi-loud but stern and commanding voice.

" No, he isn't gone!"

Hanica walked up to raziner and placed a hand on his shoulder.

" Raziner, let it go."

Raziner looked down in a chimera of emotions. Sadness, anger, shame, anything that you can think of related to those he was feeling. He hated the feeling. Then, something in raziner snapped.

" No!" Raziner said as he knocked hanica to the ground and activated his energy sword.

Hanica laid on the ground and attempted to plead with raziner.

" Raziner, stop, please!"

Raziner looked at her with a emotionless and cold and angry look on his face.

" You cant stop me."

" Your right, but you can do that. Please raziner, don't do this."

Raziner then gained a look understanding on his face. He then lowered his blade and looked down at the ground. As if he knew what he had done was wrong but at the time, he didn't care. For a long moment, raziner hated ever fiber of his being. He shoved his wife to the ground over a dream he had. He could only pray that hanica would forgive him. Hanica picked herself up and walked over to him without fear and without hesitation.

" Raziner, you hurting so much. Please, I beg you, rest. Don't let vengeance take you over as it has so many of us. I love you raziner."

Raziner looked at hanica with a slight sign of hope in his eye.

" And I you hanica."

Hanica knew then that raziner got the message. She left and raziner felt a shred of happiness in his being. But then that happiness was quickly replaced by fear and surprise when he heard a eerie and similar voice come from behind him.

" Hello brother."

There is the first chapter of rise of the black elite. Please reveiw and stay tooned for chapter 2!


	2. Chapter 2 love, worry, and insanity

The legend of raziner rassmeen: rise of the black elite

Raziner turns around in shock of the voice. It was so familiar, it was so frightening. Raziner turned around swiftly and activated his energy sword which turned black. Once we was fully turned towards the direction that the voice came from, he lowered his blade to see that nothing was there. Not a soul, not a insect, nothing. Raziner was utterly confused and on guard since he knew that the voice had to have come from somewhere. Then they came back, except it was loud and it came from all directions.

"That was just touching, a mighty zealot in love with someone of her status? It is quite amusing." The voice said in a clever voice.

"What are you?" Raziner asked under his breath as he maintained his attack pose. He was looking in all directions but was confused as to where the voice was coming from.

"What am I? I'm something you left behind. I'm something you have tried all these years to forget." The voice said in a slightly louder and more irritated voice.

Raziner was frightened. How could he fight a foe that he couldn't see, only hear? He turned around ready to leave. But once he turned around, he noticed a shape standing in front of the door. Raziner attained his battle pose once more incase this shape was going to attack. The shape stepped out of the shadows and reviled it face to Raziner. Once Raziner saw the face, he took a deep breath in shock. Once he did this, he dropped his sword to the ground which deactivated once it hit the floor. Raziner just stared in shock and horror as the shape, which reviled itself to be a sangheilli zealot of equal height of Raziner but slightly older, began to speak with a scornful look on its face.

"Hello Raziner."

Raziner broke out of his trance and replied to the shapes greeting.

"Na…Navado?"

"Yes brother, that Is correct. How long has it been 2, 3 years since we last met fact to face?"

Raziner took a step back believing this was not really Navado.

"What are you, some demon from the ancient texts?"

Navado simply chuckled. He continued to taunt Raziner.

"Perhaps, perhaps I am just a figment of your already broken mind." Navado said as he chuckled once more.

Raziners shocked looked was soon replaced by a serious and suspicious look as he took a step forward to the vision that called itself Navado.

"Why are you here?"

Navado gave out a slightly louder laugh as he heard this.

"You ask so many questions. I thought zealots were legendary problem solvers." Navado said in a tone that indicated he was getting some sort of sick humor from this.

Raziner then took a more proud and confident stance and then continued with his questionnaire.

"I ask again, why are you here?"

Navado simply chuckled in a way that was slightly reminiscent of the joker and then said.

"You ask so many questions, this is quite humorous. Goodbye Raziner."

Navado then slowly fades away into nothing. Raziner just watches with a look of scornfulness and a look that indicates he Is slightly tired. He stares for only seconds and then slowly walks away as if nothing ever happened. Raziner walked to his room silently so he doesn't worry hanica anymore. He enters his room which seemed to be colder than usual. He takes off his armor and sits on his bed. He holds the helmet in his hands and stares at it lost in a deep state of thought.

"What does it mean?" Raziner asked himself. Raziner had never felt more conflicted in his entire life. He wondered about everything that had transpired that night, the vision that called itself Navado, Hanicas concerns and what she could really be feeling underneath. And then Raziner wondered about himself. He wondered if he could go on like this, he also wondered how many days he had until he did something he would regret for the rest of his life. Raziner was frightened. Then, he heard a voice speak out to him. The voice startled him but was nothing compared to what he had experienced just minutes before.

"Walk with me a moment Raziner" The voice said.

Raziner turned around to see the elder walking in his room with a serious look on his face. Although He would much rather had been left alone, Raziner did not want to disrespect the elder and so, he followed him out of his door. As they walked down the hall, Raziner sensed that something was not right. He was the first to brake the eerie silence.

"What is this?" Asks Raziner in a surprisingly calm tone given that he had just had a mental breakdown just minutes earlier.

The elder turned to Raziner with a look of seriousness in his eyes as they stopped at the door.

"Raziner, you must go, just for a little while."

Raziner looked at the elder with a obvious look of worry and curiosity on his face.

"What are you saying?" He said believing that he was being exiled in some way.

The elder looked at Raziner and then laid a hand of his shoulder.

"I know what is happening to you Raziner. I know that Navado comes to you in your dreams. I know he speaks to you when you are alone." He said as he looked into Raziners eyes.

Raziner looked down at the elder and motioned his shoulder so it would dethatch itself from the elders hand.

"You don't know anything." Said Raziner in a tone that suggested that he was slowly becoming angry at the elder.

"No, he dose."

Raziner looked at the hallway entrance to see Hanica standing there. Raziner took his gaze off of her only for a moment to look at the elder who was still looking at Raziner and was not surprised. Raziner then knew that they had planned this. Raziner felt slightly betrayed. Who knows what they might have said about him and what they may think of him now. This thought angered him but he chose not to lash out because he didn't want to frighten his wife anymore and he knew that the elder did not deserve it. He then looked back at Hanica and continued his dialogue.

"Hanica, what is the meaning of this?"

Hanica looked at Raziner and walked to him to look him in the eyes. To Raziner, it seemed as if it happened in slow motion.

"You are not well my love. You need time to think….clearly." She said in a worried tone.

"Clearly?" Raziner said with a tone of disgust in his voice.

"Yes Raziner." Said the elder whose presence was forgotten by Raziner.

Raziner took a step back from Hanica and then said.

"Im fine, I don't need any help." Said Raziner in a tone that made it obvious to both Hanica and the elder that he was not only lying to them, he was lying to himself.

Hanica walked up to Raziner and embraced him and kissed him on the lips. She released from him and then looked into his eyes.

"Stop being the proud warrior for once."

The elder was touched by this event but kept his usual cool demeanor and then said.

"You have not left the darkness of your brothers room since he died."

Raziner looked at the elder in disbelief and then looked down at Hanica who also had something to say.

"Raziner, that was nearly 3 years ago."

"….Has it truly been that long?" Said Raziner in a soft voice.

"Yes, it has, please Raziner, listen to someone other than yourself for once." Said Hanica in a begging tone.

"Very well…..I love you Hanica… So So much." Said Raziner looking down at his love.

" And I love you."

Raziner then turned to the elder.

"Thank you elder one."

"No need Raziner, just be back by dark, too much time outside may be dangerous."

Raziner nodded and then turned towards the door which was being opened by the elder. Once the door was open, a blinding light shined through with blinded Raziner to the point that he covered his eyes with his arm. The light however, did not bother Hanica and the elder. Once Raziner noticed this, he thought to himself.

"Perhaps it truly has been three years."

Once Raziner adjusted to the light, he started to head out. But before he even breeched the threshold of the door, he looked back at Hanica who was smiling at him. He smiled back and headed out, his image becoming more and more distorted as it is consumed by the light of day.


	3. Chapter 3 death of body, love and soul

The legend of raziner rassmeen: rise of the black elite

Raziners first few steps on the outside are nothing less of clumsy and delayed. He was not but 10ft way from his door and he felt as if he was as blind as blind can be. Hanica did her best not to let Raziner hear her laughs and chuckles. She had seen a zealot so clumsy and out of place before, especially Raziner, who took great pride in his rank and his honor in the military. Once the elder, who also found the sight quit humorous as well, felt that they had both had enough, he closed the door. When he heard the door close, Raziner looked behind him with a slight look of fear on his face. He only stared at the door for a few seconds, ever single one pleaded him to stay behind for some unknown reason. His gaze was then disturbed by a feeling of something on his foot. He looked down to see a small rodent creature relieving itself on his foot. Raziner paid no mind to it and simply shrugged it off his foot. Although the waste that the creature had left behind stank, Raziner calmly wiped it off with a nearby leaf. Apparently, he had seen worse in his day. He continued on his way, unsure of exactly what he was supposed to do. He walked down the sidewalk and watched as each sangheilli walked by him. He looked for any suggesting signs that they were judging him in some way, what he saw only made him question himself even more. Some glanced at him while others just ignored him. This made Raziner question himself. It made him feel as if he wasn't even there. He continued to walk until his feet became strained and he was forced to sit down. He sat on the edge of the street as the rays of the sun beaded down on his skin. At this point, Raziner had become quit acquainted with the brightness and the intensity of the light. Even so, he sat in the shade, the outside air seemed to bother him some how. During his rest, Raziner had entered a deep state of thought. And though this state of thought, there was only one that that crossed his mind. That one thing was his lovely wife Hanica. He cursed himself for ever doubting Hanicas loyalty to him. His reviled in the fact that a sangheilli like him could have a female like her. He thought about how much he loved her, and how, since Navado died, he had neglected her. He wondered how he could make it up to her. Raziner left his thought process for only a moment to see where he was. He was astonished to see that, somehow, he had wondered to the other side of the city. He wanted to get back home but saw that sundown would be a few hours away and he had nothing to do, Raziner continued to sit their, thinking about his beloved.

Meanwhile, on a covenant ship, the minister of fortitude was informing a councilor member who happened to be a sanghelli about a mission he wanted the councilor to partake on.

" Councilor, I have called you today because I want you to do something that thousands of others have failed at. I want you to kill the one named Raziner Rassmeen."

Once the councilor heard that name, he slightly looked up at the minister, almost as if he knew the name.

" This one is a survivor councilor. He currently holds the rank of zealot. And was set to retire to become a councilor."

At this point, the councilor was looking the minister dead in the eye. He was obviously interested in the assassination details, for what reason, well, that is the mystery, isn't it.

" Raziner is still a Youngblood, barely old enough to be a minor elite." Said the councilor.

The minister looked at the councilor with a scornful look on his face.

" And that, councilor, is precisely why you must not underestimate the zealot. His brother was too weak to finish the trader off. I trust that you will not make the same mistake."

" And, if I may ask, what will be my reward?" Asked the councilor in a voice he generated in order to cover the nervousness in his voice.

" Raziner was of insufficient age to become a councilor, though he had enough skill and was of the necessary rank. He was set to become the next sangheilli to carry the rank arbiter. Kill him, and that reward is yours for the taking."

The councilor was grasped by the glory of that very thought. Arbiter would give him all the power and luxury that he had always relished, but could never have. He continued in his dialog with the minister in order to hide his weakness at the time.

" Any other orders my lord?"

" Yes, Raziner has but one individual in particular left that he hold near and dear to his heart. His beloved, his wife, Hanica. Kill her, and Raziner will come to you."

The councilor was hesitant to accept the mission. He could never kill a women, let alone without honor. He would sooner kill Raziner unarmed that kill his wife. But, the reward outweighed his moral values and beliefs,

" By your word…prophet."

The councilor leaves the room and go's to the ships air lift room. He walks over to a banshee and climbs in and fly's off the ship to go complete the first phase of his mission, the entire way, his mind was debating with itself. Was this right, was this wrong, is the reward really worth the cost of the innocent? These thoughts were involved in a never ending circle that he could not find the end of. But, before long, the councilor had found a good landing spot, and although he did not want to land, he knew that his fate would be even more gruesome than Raziners if he refused the mission or failed it and lived. Once he stepped out of the banshee, he walked to the Rassmeen dwelling, the entire way, he wanted to turn back. In little time, he made to the door. The tall, looming structure seemed to stair him down with nothing but a look of shameful pity. He knocked on the door and was shocked to see the most beautiful Sangheilli he's ever seen open the door. Her beauty rayed on him so much so that if he hadn't had a large amount of self pride, he would drop to his knees right then and there. But, the coolness of the air around him made him remember why he was there in the first place. This thought made something in him die a little. He had killed many before, he had once been a zealot, and he had been in countless battles and killed countless soldiers, but never had he been tasked with the slaughter of beautiful woman. Hanica was less than happy about him being there. She knew that councilors never left the protection of the prophets holy city unless they were sent on a mission of some kind. She knew that the councilor was there for Raziner. She then engaged the councilor in dialog.

"You are a councilor, on business for the prophets no doubt." Hanica said in a voice she modified to hide her fear at the moment.

"As a matter of fact, I am. May I come in?"

Hanica looked at the councilor with a look of disgust. She knew that he said that last remark so clearly because he believes that he is above her due to his military status and gender.

" No you may not, messenger if the prophets or not, I cannot allow you access. Why are you here, if I may ask." She said in a strong and stern voice.

The councilor chuckled for a moment then looked back at Hanica with a devious look on his face.

"You know why I'm here."

Hanica then gained a look of understanding on her face. Though a understanding that left fear in its wake, but understanding nonetheless.

"You here because of my husband, aren't you?"

"I really must come in."

The councilor began to come closer and tried to force himself in. Hanica tried to stop him but she could only do so much. Then, they both heard a voice that to Hanica meant help but to the councilor meant only another obstacle.

" Is there a problem here?"

It was the elder. He had been watching for some time now and was waiting for the situation to escalate.

"There's no problem elder one." Said the councilor.

"Then I think you should leave, and if there is no problem, do not come back." Said the elder in a stern and very serious voice.

The councilor simply chuckled which chilled Hanica to the bone and effected the elder in a similar but not obvious way.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Said the councilor in a particularly menacing voice.

The councilor takes a step back and in one kick, breaks down the door, indicating that he had been holding back the entire time. He then activates his energy sword and charges the elder and stabs him in the chest. The elder drops to the floor and dies. The councilor just stood there with the sword still in the elders chest. The elders blood dripped from his wound to the floor and the blood that came in contact with the glowing blue blade of the sword, it vaporized instantly, making a sizzling sound as it happened. One might believe that this would denture the councilor from carrying out the rest of his mission, that's what one might say. The truth, however, is darker than the fantasy. He enjoyed it, every..little…bit. He had forgotten the satisfaction of killing another. He then turned to his target.

" This is going to be fun."

Meanwhile, Raziner was still sitting in that same spot. He had been thinking of nothing but his beloved. Then, his thought was interrupted by a chill that ran down his back. Instinct told him to look at the street apart from him and saw something that he had hoped that he would never see again. He saw his brother Navado across the street just staring at him. Raziners just sat there waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. Then, Navado took his hand and made a motion that resembled himself slicing his own throat. Raziner was frightened but did not want to make a scene in public. Raziner got up to walk in the opposite direction but was instantly dropped to his knees by loud and angry voices. The voices repeated saying the same thing, over and over and over again. They sounded as if they echoed and they came from everywhere. They kept telling him to run home. Raziner hoped that they would stop but they didn't. And the more he waited, the more the voices increased in number and volume. Navado was still in the same spot still doing the same action. Raziner gave in, and ran to his home. He ran faster than he ever ran before. As he neared his home, the voices became louder and louder and seemed to have a chanting tune or rhythm to them. Finally his house was in sight and Raziner was nearly out of breath. She shoved the sanheilli that got in his way to the side, ignoring their cries of pain and anger as they hit the concrete ground. Finally, he arrived at the door. Raziner was not surprised that the loving feeling of being home was not what the looming door had to offer, only a feeling of hurt and pain and sin. He opened the door, expecting to see his brother once more waiting for him, praying that he would see Hanica their instead. He walked in and something told him to look over to his left. He did so, the hesitation in his mind did nothing to stop his turning motion which to Raziner seemed to happen in slow motion. His eyes became wide at the sight he saw. It was the elder. His body laying on the ground on its back with a stab wound through its chest. He began to walk over but then was stopped dead in his tracks by a chill that consumed his entire being and chilled him to the core. He turned around to see a image of Navado, which appeared to fade in and out of reality, walking into another room. He followed it into the room, seemingly completely oblivious to the death he turned away from. He turned the corner and crossed the threshold. He looked into the room and saw a shape laying in the middle of the floor. He walked over to it slowly. Each step he took made him want to turn away right away. As he stood over the body, he looked at a body laying in a pool of its own blood. Raziner dropped to his knees in a state of weakness. Once he was on his knees, he took his hand and lifted the head of the body which felt bruised and cold. He turned the head and looked into the face of the body. It was Hanica, her body was beaten and her beautiful face bruised and bleeding. Raziner felt all the emotions that he hated so come on stronger than it ever had before. He then lifted his head to the ceiling and cried out in hurt. Her called her name, he nudged her body hoping for a response, but nothing happened. By the end of what felt like hours but was really only seconds, Raziners face was soaked in his own tears, his cloths her stained with the blood of his love, and finally, he passed out, laying collapsed, broken, and beaten, he waited for death to take him. He waited for the relief that suicide would give him, he waited to hear Hanicas sweet, soft voice grace his ears, he waited for the realization that it was just another dream…it never came.

Stay turned for the last chapter of rise of the black and be on the look out for the next and final installment of the legend of Raziner trilogy. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4 vengence, raw anger

The legend of raziner rassmeen: rise of the black elite

Sorry for the wait

This is the last chapter of rise of the black elite. Please review

Raziner wakes up from his prolonged torturous sleep. He manages to stagger to his feet even though he dose not have the will to do so. He looks once more at the body of his beloved wife. Although he wants to cry, he cant. One might say that Raziner had cried so much, he had no more tears to spare. One might also say that he realized what was the point of it, crying won't bring his love back. He just stares at the body for what seemed like a eternity, wondering what could have been, wondering that if he was there, what else he might have done. Hanicas body seemed so frail, so dirty. Her beautiful face bruised beyond recognition. Her sent that she took hours to perfect was soiled by the overwhelming smell of death. Raziner could not leave her this way, and the elder was no different. He lifted her body gently and took her outside in the back where no one would notice. Once he stepped outside, he noticed the darkness of the night and the unwelcoming chill of the night air. This breeze did nothing to stop Raziner. He knew that if the same had happened to him, Hanica would no doubt give him a proper burial, even if she needed to dig the grave herself. Raziner buried her and the elder in the backyard. Though he was also saddened by the loss of the elder, he thought little of him, his eyes, his mind, his last goodbyes her going to Hanica.

"I am sorry that I cannot give you more my love, forgive me for not being their when you needed me most, im sorry." Raziner said as he kneeled to the grave. His head hung in sadness. He reached out and put a flower on the grave. The flower was one that Hanica loved more than all the others. Its white peddles fluttered slightly in the wind of that cool night, but it never blowed away, how, no one is sure.

Raziner walked into the house slowly but surely, seemingly unwilling to leave his loves side, even in death. He walked in his room and sat at the foot of his bed. He sat their staring at his own hands. He blamed himself for every horrible action Hanica had to endure. His hands felt so cold, numb, without feeling. Then, something told him to look up, and he did so. He saw the armor left to him by his brother. The looming figure seemed to seemed to look back at his. It urged him to do what he knew he had to do. Raziner then got up and stood in front of the armor set, waiting for It to do something, anything. All it did was stare back at him. Raziner knew what he had to do, and he knew who had done this crime. He put the helmet on, then the boots, then the rest of the set. He grabbed his energy sword off the shelf he left it on. He took a moment to take the feeling of the armor in. It felt as if he had a thousand pounds of gilt and regret on his shoulders. It was cold, a exact reflection of what was left of Raziner Rassmeen. He turned around only to see Navado, or at least the vision that called itself Navado, standing there with a smile of its face.

"Poor, poor, poor Raziner. So sad, so broken, and so angry." Said Navado in a voice that sounded almost as if he pitied Raziner.

"What could you possibly want now? Have you not taken enough? Are you not satisfied?" Said Raziner in a quite but obviously angry and annoyed voice.

"I have not taken from you brother, you know that."

"What do you want?" Said Raziner.

"Poor poor Raziner, so sad, so broken, and so angry, Humorous, how I felt nothing as I watched her die, how she screamed out your name, how she cried out in pain, and how she hated you for not being their in her last moments. You failed her, and you deserve every bit of pain and hardship that awaits you." Said Navado as he faded away.

Raziner looked on as his brother faded away. He wanted to lash out so badly, but he didn't, instead, he continued on his way outside his house, ignoring the voices in his head that reminded him of his biggest failure, his greatest loss. Before he knew it, Raziner was at the hanger that was in his back yard. He walked in, ignoring the grave of his beloved that he was forced to walk by to get to the hanger. As he walked into the hanger, a large shape covered with a army green cover covering it. Raziner walked up to it and threw off the cover with caused a thick cloud of dust to fill the air, indicating that the cover had been sitting there for years. Once the dust cleared, Raziner could see the banshee he had used while he served in the covenant air force. As he walked passed it, he placed a hand on it. As he did so, many memories came back to him, both good and bad. One of these memories was of a elite that served alongside him in the military when he was just a minor. The elites name of Mantaze and he had connections with the prophets. He knew what they were going to do and when they were going to do it. Raziner knew that if he knew that the prophets issued the murdering Hanica, he would have known about it. These thoughts well established in his mind, Raziner climbed into the banshee and flew it out of the hanger. He flew up until even the tallest buildings seemed to be dwarfed by the lofty height the aircraft achieved. As he flew to Mantazes state, Raziner looked up at the sun set. He saw how the colors of the sun melded with the natural colors of sangheillioses clouds. He remembered how he and Hanica loved to watch the sun set, realizing once more that those days were over, Raziner couldn't help but have a single tear fall down his face. As Raziner entered Mantazes state, he docked his banshee just outside the border so that no one would notice it. Once he exited the rusted aircraft, he walked towards Mantazes house calmly but, seemingly, soulless. He ignored the strange absence of citizens. As he neared the small house, Raziner expected to feel something, some hate, some hurt, anything at all, but he never did. He felt nothing. No pain, no sorrow, he was hollow. Nothing but a shell blindly seeking revenge. Once Raziner came upon the tall door that led into Mantazes house, Raziner stared at the structure only briefly and then continued on into Mantazes home. Instead of knocking on the door, Raziner lifted up one leg and broke the door down with one strong kick. Once the door was knocked down, the calm collected elite inside turned around slowly, seemingly unfazed by the intruder braking down his door.

" Oh, Raziner, I was not expecting you here. How's the wife." Asked Mantaze in a very smug voice.

At that, Raziner charged Mantaze and grabbed him by his throat and pinned him to a wall.

"The prophets, what are they planning?" Asked Raziner in a demanding and clearly angry voice.

"I don't know." Said Mantaze as he struggled to gasp for air under Raziner grip.

Raziner was disappointed at this answer. He then released Mantaze and kneed him in the gut and punched him across the face. The force of the punch caused two of Mantazes mandibles to brake. The sickening sound of the bone within them snapping caused undeniable agony for Mantaze but did nothing to slow Raziner down from his interrogation. Once the punch was connected, Raziner grabbed Mantaze by the throat once more.

"I ask again, what are they planning?" Yelled Raziner.

"Why would I tell you?" Asked Mantaze.

"Because if you don't, I will kill you, and if you lie, I will do worse."

Mantaze took a few seconds to examine the full extent of his situation. He then decided to tell Raziner what he wanted to know…..if his broken mouth parts would allow him to do so at least.

"Alright, the prophets are conspiring against you." Before Mantaze could finish his statement, Raziner shouted Why at him. He paused waiting for Raziner to finish.

"Why do you think they would conspire against a zealot?" Said Mantaze with a slight chuckle in his voice.

At that, Raziner drew out a compact mini-energy blade on his wrist gauntlet and stabbed it into Mantazes right arm. Once the blade penetrated, the elite gave out a cry of intense pain. More pain than he had every felt before.

"I SAID WHY!" shouted Raziner.

"Because of your heresy, were you not warned enough? You knew this would happen. And now, your precious wife is gone, all because of you." Said Mantaze as he gasped between the chocking and the intense pain in his arm.

"When did you know?" Asked Raziner in a more silent, but still angry voice.

"I knew 3 weeks ago." Said Mantaze.

Raziner then pulled the blade out of his arm and used it to cut off two of Mantazes fingers. Once the two were detached, the elite dropped to his knees in agony. He griped his hand and squeezed it hoping that it would take his mind off the pain. He then looked up at the black figure looming over him with a look of pain and mercy. He shivered and shook indicating that he was going into shock. Raziner crouched over and grabed Mantaze by his neck and looked at his cowardly face.

"who did they commission to do it?" Yelled Raziner.

"They sent a councilor to do it. He should be in the ship above the city waiting for you." Said Mantaze in a weak voice.

Raziner released his captive and turned around to go out of the door. Mantaze collapsed to the ground and everything went silent. Whether or not he had died from his injuries or simply passed out made no difference to Raziner. He continued out the door to his banshee ready to take his revenge on the monster who killed his wife. Raziner activates his banshee and fly's off right as authorities arrive at Mantazes house to see what was causing the commotion. Meer seconds seem to pass and Raziner lands inside the ship and inspects the area around him. The ship itself is immense nearly as large as the city itself. But Raziner did not come to the ship for the view and majesty of the ships destine. Raziner begins to walk on when he hears footsteps coming from behind him. He quickly draws his energy sword and turns around to see what was making the noise. When he turns around, he is met with a figure dressed in white armor and a large headdress, the armor of a councilor. The two stood there staring at each other for what seemed like a eternity to Raziner but was, in truth, only a few seconds.

"Hello Raziner." Says the councilor in a confident voice.

"Why did you do it? She was innocent, I was the one with the blood on my hands why not me?" Asked Raziner in a unusually calm voice.

"They were just orders. Any good soldier knows that orders govern our affairs, without them we are blind." Said the councilor.

"So they were just order. Where was the honor in killing a elder one and a unarmed female. How could you do this?" Asked Raziner,

"Oh please Raziner Rassmeen, you are a zealot, how many innocents have you killed in the quest for the great journey. How many young soldiers have you slain, how many husbands have you robbed from their wifes and sons and daughters?"

Raziner stood their with a bland stare and look of shame on his face.

"The truth is that no one is innocent, no one is clean. The prophet of order has shown me that. But I have been given a second chance. A chance to become what you robbed me of. The prize of arbiter shall be mine." Said the councilor as he drew his energy sword.

"You killed her for a rank." Said Raziner in a discussed voice.

"Oh it was more than that brother. You see, once I killed the elder one, I looked at your wife. She was beautiful, my mouth watered, her sent was so alluring. My orders were to do it quickly but I finished her nice and slow. Her screams were better that the feeling of raping her. But there will be time for talk and recollection of this joyous evening when I rule in your state and declare the fall of your pathetic clan." Said the councilor.

Before the councilor could take a proper combat stance, he was met with the tearing eyes of Raziner in his face. The councilor was luck that he had his sword where it was or Raziner would have cut his head off. Then, with one push accompanied by a guttural scream, Raziner pushed the councilor back 10ft. The councilor was shocked of Raziners strength. But he did not want the former zealot to see his fear at the moment. The councilor rushed Raziner and swung his sword but missed. Raziner then rebounded with a swing of his own that sliced through the councilors chest armor but barely missed the skin underneath. The councilor then rushed Raziner once more and managed to disarm Raziner with one strong lung. Raziner then dodged another of the councilors lunges which caused his blade to become lodged in the ground below. Raziner the punched his opponent a few times in the gut and face then fished with a back flip which allowed Raziner to kick the councilor in the face as he jumped. Once he landed, Raziner round house kicked the councilor in the gut which sent him flying 20ft across the room and landing on his back. Raziner then grabbed the sword he left in the ground and sprinted the councilor. Before the councilor could recover, he was met with his own blade in his face.

"Killing me will not bring you love back….nor will it end your madness" said the councilor in a stressed and fearful voice.

"Your right, it will not…but it's a start." Said Raziner in a enraged and mournful voice.

Raziner then stabbed the councilor in the chest and watched as the elite gasped for breath and then slowly died. Raziner looked up to see a small ship leave the main ship. Raziner knew who it was, it was the prophet, he sent the councilor as a distraction giving him time to escape.

"Prophet, you coward! A THOUSAND HELLS AWAIT YOU!" Yelled Raziner in frustration.

Raziner deactivated the sword and dropped his head in sadness. He thought that at least his wife's death was avenged, but the prophet was still out there, and he planned the whole thing. These thoughts enraged Raziner, but his thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him say.

"As they do you brother."


End file.
